Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Part One
Part Two
Invitation to Worship
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Prologue to the Rule of Benedict
R/. Come, children, listen to me:
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Alleluia!
Listen my child to the precepts of your master;
incline the ear of your heart.
Receive the instruction of a loving parent.
Take up the bright armor of listening deeply
and enter the struggle with Christ who reigns. R/.
It is the hour to wake from sleep.
Listen to the Spirit speaking to the Churches:
“If today you hear God’s voice,
do not harden your hearts,”
Walk while you have the light,
lest the darkness overtake you. R/.
Who is the one who loves life?
If you answer: “I am the one,”
“Then keep your tongue from evil,
seek and strive after peace.” R/.
What can be sweeter to us beloved disciples,
than the voice of Adonai inviting us?
Behold with such loving kindness
God shows us the way of life! R/.
Glory to the One and to the Word
and to the Breath of Love
As always before
so now and evermore. Amen. R/.
MORNING HYMN
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn. The following is for St. Benedict.
The blessed Abbot, Benedict, Sure guide in dark and troubled days,
Has shown his countless children here, the paths of peace and God’s own ways.
He dwelt in heaven while on earth, True man of God and man of prayer;
For him, the love of Christ was all And God was present everywhere.
He left all things that bind the heart, In poverty to find release;
Unmoved among the things that change, He sought and found a lasting peace.
He died among his many friends while lifting up his hands to pray;
In glory clothed he lives again And we rejoice with him today.
Now Benedict, with monks and nuns Around him like a crown of gold,
Gives praise to you, blest Trinity, In splendid light and time untold. Amen.
Text: Stanbrook Abbey, 1971, alt., Tune: JESU DULCIS MEMORIA
PSALMODY
Antiphon
There was a man of venerable life, Benedict, “Blest” both by grace and in name,
who even from the days of his youth bore within him a mature heart.
In his ways transcending his years he resolved to prefer nothing to Christ. Alleluia!
Refrain
May we learn to prefer nothing to the love of Christ
And may he bring us all to everlasting life.
Psalm 33/34
I will bless Adonai at all times; God’s praise always on my lips;
In our God my soul shall makes its boast! The humble shall hear and be glad.
Look towards God and be not ashamed; let your faces be radiant with joy:
This poor one called Adonai replied—rescued me from all my distress.
God’s angel surrounds all those who call, to save them from all they fear.
O taste and see Adonai is good! They are happy who trust in this Love.
Revere Adonai all you who are holy. They lack nothing who trust in God’s name.
Though lions may hunger and find no prey, those who seek God are not disappointed.
Come, O children and hear my teaching, you will learn to revere Adonai;
Do you long for freedom and fullness of life–many days to flourish with joy?
Then keep your tongue from speaking of evil; your lips from lies and deceit;
Turn from evil, do good for others; you must seek and strive after peace.
The face of Love turns away from evil that such deeds be remembered no more.
The just call, Adonai hears, rescues them from all their distress.
The just will suffer from anguish and trial but God will be there to save:
A guard to keep watch over all of their bones so that none of their bones will be broken.
Adonai is close to the broken-hearted; those who spirit is crushed will be saved.
Adonai ransoms the souls of the poor: those who trust shall not be condemned.
Text: Psalm 33/34 New Translation.
There was a man of venerable life, Benedict, “Blest” both by grace and in name,
who even from the days of his youth bore within him a mature heart.
In his ways transcending his years he resolved to prefer nothing to Christ. Alleluia!
READING Proverbs 2:1-9
My child, if you accept my words
and treasure up my commandments within you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
if you indeed cry out for insight,
and raise your voice for understanding;
if you seek it like silver,
and search for it as for hidden treasures–
then you will understand reverence for ADONAI
and find the knowledge of God.
For ADONAI gives wisdom;
from God’s mouth come knowledge and understanding;
God stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
and is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Uphold me, O God, according to your promise and I shall live. And do not confound me in my expectations. V. I bind myself to do your will, do not disappoint me. V. I will run the way of your commands, you give freedom to my heart. V. Glory to the One and the Word, and the Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
Let the multitude of all the faithful rejoice for the glory of the loving Abbot, Benedict.
Let the company of monastics especially be joyful, celebrating on earth the solemnity of him in whose fellowship the saints rejoice in heaven. Alleluia!
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To Guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
Let the multitude of all the faithful rejoice for the glory of the loving Abbot, Benedict.
Let the company of monastics especially be joyful, celebrating on earth the solemnity of him in whose fellowship the saints rejoice in heaven. Alleluia!
Intercessory Prayer
You inspired St. Benedict to establish a school of the Lord’s service,
~bless all those who seek you in the monastic way of life.
Benedict taught that we should prefer nothing to daily prayer–joining our hearts and voices to the constant praise rendered by creation; ~bless our daily prayer and use it to
deepen our sense of your presence and love at every moment of the day and in all of creation.
Benedict was blessed with a vision of the whole of creation contained in a single ray of sunlight, ~bless us with a profound awareness of the unity of creation and of our small but important part in it.
Benedict taught that all the objects we use should be respected as vessels of the altar; ~teach us to treat everything with reverence and care.
Benedict died surrounded by his brothers, with his hands uplifted in prayer, ~bless us with the grace of a peaceful death, and bring to eternal life those who have died.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
~ And fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the praise of all your saints and the joy of all creation. You called St. Benedict to share his wisdom in a simple and balanced rule for communities dedicated to contemplative prayer and sustainable living. You call each of us to devote ourselves to prayer and works of compassion and love. May our hearts and our lives be in harmony with the words that we pray and our whole lives help to build your reign on Earth as it is in heaven where you live and love One God for ever and ever. Amen.
May we learn to prefer nothing to the love of Christ and may he bring us all to + everlasting life: ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.